San Antonio shoppers see week of high-profile crime

Click ahead to learn about recent incidents of mall violence involving guns in San Antonio.

Click ahead to learn about recent incidents of mall violence involving guns in San Antonio.

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Click ahead to learn about recent incidents of mall violence involving guns in San Antonio.

Click ahead to learn about recent incidents of mall violence involving guns in San Antonio.

Photo: Mysa

San Antonio shoppers see week of high-profile crime

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SAN ANTONIO — After wrapping one of the most deadly years in recent history, gun violence has made it's way into Alamo City malls and shopping centers.

With four violent incidents of gun crime in the past seven days at San Antonio retail centers, safety is now a major concern for area shoppers.

The week of violence started Jan. 20 at the Exotic Diamonds store at the South Park Mall, where three armed men dressed in black entered the store and robbed it. One suspect held the employees at gunpoint as the other men jumped a counter, broke a glass display and stole jewelry, according to a previous report.

No one was injured in the robbery, but two days later an attempted armed robbery at Rolling Oaks Mall proved fatal.

As people shopped at the Northeast Side mall Sunday, two armed men, later identified by police as Jose Luis Rojas and Jason Matthew Prieto, both 34, attempted to rob the Kay Jewelers. As they fled the scene, two “good Samaritans” intervened in the robbery, according to police.

One of those civilians, 42-year-old Jonathan Murphy, was fatally shot by one of the suspects. Murphy and his wife, Aimee, had gone to the store to have their wedding rings cleaned, according to a previous report.

The other citizen who intervened, who has not yet been identified by police due to being a witness in the case, shot and critically injured Rojas, who was taken to the hospital.

Two other people, assistant principals from the near-Houston area, were injured by gunfire in the mall shooting, as well. They have since been released and returned to their home in Willis.

Others at the mall suffered from medical complications likely brought on by stress from the shooting.

In light of the shooting Sunday, the Rolling Oaks Mall has reiterated that the shopping center does not allow firearms on its premises.

“Although we respect the laws of the state and individual rights, we do, however, maintain a separate code of conduct that we visibly post at our entrances that includes the prohibition of any weapons on the property,” the mall’s general manager Dustin Christensen said in a statement. “Our top priority continues to be the safety of our shoppers as we strive to provide the best possible shopping experience for all.”

The violence continues

Two days after the fatal Rolling Oaks Mall shooting, two armed suspects threatened to kill a mother and daughter outside Ingram Park Mall on the Northwest Side.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 6300 block of Northwest Loop 410, where two men wearing black handkerchiefs over their faces pulled up next to them in a green SUV and shouted “I’m going to kill you!”

The two women ran into the Macy’s department store and called for help, with witnesses telling police they heard about two or three gunshots before the men fled the scene. Both of the women were “very shaken up” by the incident, said SAPD spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame.

On Thursday, the Park North Shopping Center on the North Side became the next retail center to experience the threat of gun violence.

A suspect approached an employee of the Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers at about 8:30 a.m. in the 6600 block of Blanco Road, telling the employee he had a gun and ordered him into the restaurant’s office.

He then told another employee to open the safe and take out the money, which the employee did. The suspect took that money, cash from the register and money from a blue bank bag before fleeing in a red vehicle that was parked near the restaurant, according to a previous report.

Following the incident at Ingram Park Mall Tuesday, San Antonio police spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame responded to what at the time was the third violent gun incident at local malls in a matter of days.

"It's concerning for us," Salame said. "But again, it just highlights the need for everyone to always pay attention. No matter where your surroundings are, no matter what's going on."